儿童的面孔点缀这录像里的北大荒漠.

加布里埃尔一行人再次与一位两年前遇见的达尔富尔难民从逢。捷克是着难民营里的老师及学校督学 。如果情况许可的话，捷克一心想回返达尔富尔的旧家园。

关于官方的协议， 难民一强调实际上,居住条件并没有改善.

如想改过立即 尽管这个条件. 对协议,目前的问题,确保难民说,

他们返家的决心是真实的,但在他们眼中, 政府并 没有给予足够的安全保障,使他们完全安全地重返故居, 达尔富尔.

加布里埃尔找到他2005年是已经见过的几名难民, 其中显示在该国境内的情况依旧仍然.

谈到说签订协议, 难民意论约束条件实地上看不出带来任何具体变化, 看来他们住在这些难民营中, 还有好一段日子.

Jour9, 18 juillet 2007

Les visages des enfants ponctuent la vidéo.
Ce sont les retrouvailles avec un habitant du Darfour, qui voudrait retourner immédiatement, malgré les conditions.
Sur les accords actuellement en question, le réfugié assure que, en réalité, les conditions de vie n’ont pas changé.
Leur détermination est réelle, mais le gouvernement, à leurs yeux, ne donne pas de garanties suffisantes pour qu’ils retournent en toute sécurité dans leur pays, le Darfour.

Gabriel a retrouvé des réfugiés qui étaient déjà là en 2005, ce qui montre que la situation est encore en l’état.

Les réfugiés qui entendent parler des accords signés ne voient pas de changement concret et sont toujours contraints de vivre dans ces camps..

Connie replies to Mimi Schiff, Ira, KTJ, MaryAnn, Lisa, Pam, Amy, Mimish, Zahara and Charles (some multiple times, so do scroll to the bottom!)

Click here to read more »

For this violence to continue, the Khartoum government needs money. For the past 10 years, China has been the primary weapons supplier while providing the government with over 70% of its annual oil revenues. China is the host of the 2008 Summer Olympic games promoting the theme “One World, One Dream.” Can these games truly represent “One World, One Dream” as China supports the government that funds the Janjaweed? Today, we ask you to sign a petition that will be delivered to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC next week urging them to use their position to end the genocide.

Find out more at these great sources:

• Eric Reeves’ Congressional Testimony
• China’s Influence
• Axis of Peace: China, US and France: Policy Opportunities

This action is a partnership between Dream for Darfur and Save Darfur.

Llegamos a Abeche de nuevo. Pasamos la noche, casi no dormimos, igual que todas las noches. Nuestro vuelo hacia el norte de Chad, salía a las ocho pero siempre tenemos mucha prisa porque como Gabriel y Yuen Lin trabajan casi siempre toda la noche, es una de cables que se tienen que guardar. También teníamos que decidir que podríamos dejar porque todavía andábamos muy pesados y podrían negarnos la subida. Pues ya vamos y “dicho y hecho” nos pasamos como ya sabíamos pero a veces tienes suerte y te dan la mano, pero ahora no fue así. Juuuyele a sacar y cambiar y descartar lo de las maletas! Pues lo técnico que es lo más pesado no podía quedarse, así que la comida, los regalitos para los refugiados y casi toda nuestra ropa se quedó. Otro problemita; nuestro traductor no estaba en la lista de pasajeros! El también se quedó.

Nos subimos a un avión un poco más viejo que el primero y de un solo motor. El viaje fue largo pues tuvimos primero que dejar a 4 pasajeros al la parte mas noreste de Chad. Aquí nos recomendaron no venir por la gran violencia que esta ocurriendo. La pista unas piedras de cada lado y de arena. Aquí cambia un poco la geografía pues ya estamos en el Desierto del Sahara. Así como aterrizamos volvimos a despegar y ya a nuestro destino un poquito mas al sur de aquí. Aterrizamos en una pista similar a la anterior pero de perdido en la otra había un cuartito que funcionaba como aeropuerto. Aquí nada, la pura pista y camionetas esperando nuestra llegada con un convoy encabezado por militares.

Llegando a UNHCR nos ayudaron para que de inmediato pudiéramos visitar el campamento que también tendríamos que ser acomodados por otro vehículo militar y con soldados armados. Llegamos y de suerte nos encontramos con un maestro que Gabriel ya había conocido en su visita del 2005. Un señor tan carismático y elocuente. Nos presentó al Sheik que representaba 10 diferentes tribus que viven en este campamento. Pero lo maravilloso es que este señor que se llama Jacob habla ingles! Ni falta nos hizo Ali nuestro traductor. Visitamos un rato y nos platicó de los problemas y deseos de su gente. Mañana regresaríamos con más tiempo pues ya era hora de irnos con el convoy.

De regreso nos invitaron a comer. Jorge de Uruguay es el que amablemente nos ha ayudado aquí y sin ellos (UNHCR) sería casi imposible andar e ir y venir con los refugiados. Le dije que notamos que la gente de aquí es un poco más reservada que la de los otros campamentos y nos dijo que han tenido mucha violencia, en Marzo murieron varios y esa podría ser la diferencia aquí, ese otro factor de estrés .

Pues en fin un día que empezó abriendo nuevos retos terminó por ser muy productivo.

Amor y Paz, Connie.

Camp #3

I slept only 2 hours got up at 4:30 to catch a flight to northern Chad (dejavu?). We are always running and packing last minute cables and wires and all that electronic stuff because usually either Gabe or Yuen-Lin or both are still working. I want to make a small sidetrack here to make a point. Yesterday we arrived in Abeche and went straight to UNHCR headquarters; we went to see about our flight. Also we had lunch there. A delicious, scrumptious out of this world …EGG SANDWICH! We have been eating the same thing everyday; a granola bar for breakfast and a granola bar for lunch Gabe and I ate tuna (Yuen-Lin had a little more variety thanks to Carolyn) every night for I believe it was 5 days. The point is you get tired of the same old bland food everyday and long for your favorite food. So now imagine our friends here at the camps, they have eaten the same ground grain mixed with a little water, some of them for ur to four years!

Getting back to our flight… We left a couple of suitcases because we would be coming back through here on our way out. Ali#2 picked us up and we were off again.

Well we finally ran out of luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When we were weighed in we were still over 2 times. There was no convincing this guy. And guess what? Not only were we over but Ali #1 was not on the reserved list! And there was no getting him on either! So right there in front of everyone we started sorting the entire luggage and left everything except all the equipment we needed to make the video and write our journals. No more gifts, only a change of clothes and no food but for a few granola bars we stuffed in our pants, oh and no translator! We got on our plane (an older model than the first plane to Abeche!) single engine, and started our flight. It would be a long flight because we had to drop-off some passengers to the most northern corner of Chad, Remember Ann did not recommend coming here at all due to violence spilling over from Sudan.

On arriving the scenery completely changes because you are now entering the Sahara Desert. Our landing strip, rocks on both sides of sand. And the same for our second landing where UNHCR employees who drove us in an armed convoy to town welcomed us. There we met Jorge he made everything happen quickly so that another military escort could lead the way to the camp. We arrived and as usual had to be signed in at the camp managers office we met several men. Jacob the inspector of the camp school and the Sheik tribal leader of the camp. Gabe had met Jacob in 2005 and the wonderful thing; he speaks great English! (Who needs Ali… not us) Today the conversation was about the wants and needs of the refugees and how 10 different tribes that otherwise have many differences here as refugees stick together and coexist. The interview was very informative and Jacob is a charismatic eloquent representative of his people here at this camp. There was also something very different at this camp; the kids and women were although curious and friendly much more subdued and reserved. Back at our camp Jorge gave a very good explanation; this camp has lived under constant fear of violent attacks and some have died here from those attacks so this takes a great toll on the refugees. And they may be weary and cautious of outside people. Today was not enough time for me to really evaluate the feeling here but tomorrow we will be back to make new friends.

Back at the camp Jorge invited us to stay at their compound and that lunch was waiting for us. Wow, with a few good friends, a day that started out with a few more challenges worked itself out perfect! And the icing on the cake was that Gabriel’s good friend Hala also arrived. She is in charge of UNHCR here and has been in contact with Gabe. Together they think they will come up with ways to help the refugees here.

Everyday here has been exciting and rewarding. Gabe and Yuen-Lin are incredible companions and the people we have met on this journey here in Africa have all been helpful and eager to share with us. And you guys back home, also very supportive. It means a lot to know that you appreciate the work we have accomplished and you inspire us to work even harder. Tomorrow is our last day and I am looking forward to making more wonderful friends!

Amor y Paz,Connie.